Are you scared of being criticised for borrowing from other films, especially The Wicker Man?
JR: Not at all. I’m such a film buff that I draw from many, many films. Darklands is a celebration of the genre, in the sense that if you’re a cook, you might experience several different kinds of dishes, and there are elements to those dishes that you really like, and being experienced as a cook you can go; ‘Well, I can put that and that together and come out with a completely different dish’. As a horror film buff and as a horror film maker this is what I’ve done. It’s like Tarantino, he borrows from so many films, all the best bits and throws them into one. That’s evolution. But I draw from real life experience as much as I draw from other films and I’ve incorporated generic conventions into a highly personal vision. For example, the theme of conspiracy rang true to me in the sense that I am an english speaking Welsh person. The opportunities in Wales, especially in media, were monopolised by Welsh speakers, who believe that the only way to preserve Welsh culture is through its lang
